Fantasy football: Smith-Schuster, RBs among top add/drops for Week 7

MIAMI, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and a large group of running backs lead my fantasy football waiver wire priority list for Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season.

Andy Dalton , Justin Herbert and Christian Watson are among my other targets.

Players from the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys should be benched or dropped, as those teams are on bye in Week 7. Check out my list of waiver-wire targets below if you need replacement options.

Injuries, breakout performances and other factors have cleared the way for several players to warrant a spot on fantasy football team benches or maybe even in starting lineups.

My waiver wire priorities each carry an ownership percentage of 60% or less.

Here are my top players to add and top players to drop for Week 7:

ALL-ADD TEAM

QB | Andy Dalton, Justin Herbert; RB | Tyrone Tracy Jr., Isaac Guerendo, Ty Chandler, Ray Davis, Sean Tucker; WR | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Christian Watson, Josh Downs, DeMario Douglas; TE | Cade Otton; D/ST | Cincinnati Bengals; K | Brayden Narveson

HONORABLE MENTIONS

QB | Matthew Stafford , Daniel Jones; RB | Tyler Allgeier, Kimani Vidal; WR | Xavier Legette, Darius Slayton, Tyler Lockett , Ladd McConkey; TE | Noah Fant; D/ST | Los Angeles Rams; K | Greg Zuerlein

TOP DROPS

QB | Trevor Lawrence ; RB | Cam Akers; WR | Dontayvion Wicks; TE | Tyler Conklin; D/ST | Dallas Cowboys; K | Cairo Santos

QUARTERBACK

Justin Herbert is my top quarterback to add off the waiver wire in Week 7. Herbert is off to a glacially slow start this season. He threw for multiple touchdowns in just one of his first five appearances and has yet to log 250 yards.

Outside of that sluggish start, the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback just threw for a season-high 237 yards in Week 6 and is set to face an Arizona Cardinals defense that allowed multiple touchdowns to quarterbacks in four of their first six games, including a four-touchdown effort from Jordan Love in Week 6.

Herbert is a bit of a risky play because he hasn't been consistent this season, but I think this matchup is good enough to warrant streaming consideration if you are desperate for production from the position.

RUNNING BACK

This week's group running backs is deep, but the players are in a variety of different situations that require monitoring. Tyrone Tracy Jr. provided RB1 value in Week 6 and RB2 value in Week 5, while filling in for injured New York Giants starter Devin Singletary.

The Giants rookie was among my waiver-wire targets in each of those weeks and remains on my list because of his low ownership percentage. Singletary could return this week, which would likely hurt Tracy's value, but the rookie still should be owned in all leagues.

If Singletary doesn't play, Tracy is an immediate RB2 or flex play in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. If he does play, I still expect Tracy to have value, but he is a more risky flex play.

Isaac Guerendo, Ty Chandler, Ray Davis, Sean Tucker, Tyler Allgeier and Kimani Vidal are my other top running back targets. Guerendo, Chandler and Davis could be in line to start in Week 7 due to injuries to the starters on their respective teams. Each should be targeted first and could be plug in and play options and great bye week fill-ins.

Those players also deserve to be rostered for potential starts down the line, after showing flashes of greatness when given opportunities. Tucker, Allgeier and Vidal likely aren't immediate starters, but they are worth bench slots and could provide breakout value down the road.

WIDE RECEIVER

JuJu Smith-Schuster could be the top waiver wire target this week for teams that need wide receiver production. The veteran pass catcher erupted for seven catches for 130 yards in Week 5 and was on bye in Week 6. He also scored in Week 3.

Smith-Schuster can be plugged in as a streaming starter in Week 7, when the Kansas City Chiefs battle the San Francisco 49ers. He could provide WR3 value for the rest of the season if he remains a consistent target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes .

TIGHT END

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton was previously among my waiver wire targets and made the list again in Week 7. Otton found the end zone for his first score of the season in Week 6.

He also was targeted at least six times in three of his last four games. This week, the Buccaneers will face a Baltimore Ravens defense that allowed the second-most receiving yards (72.7) per game to tight ends so far this season.

Look for the Buccaneers smoldering passing attack to stay hot this week, with quarterback Baker Mayfield throwing multiple touchdown passes for the fourth consecutive game. Otton has a great shot to haul in one of those scores during one of the Buccaneers' several trips to the red zone.